How to install new taps

Installing new taps are a quick, easy and cheap way to give a new look to your bathroom. Often, just changing the little details can add a new lease of life to your bathroom, making it look more modern.
It is relatively easy to change your own taps so you don’t need to employ the services of a plumber making the process of updating your bathroom even cheaper.

The first thing you should do is turn off the water supply at the mains and turn on all the taps in your house until they run dry.

Step 1

From underneath your sink, reach up and unscrew the holding nuts of the old taps. You may need a basin wrench to undo the nuts which hold the taps to the pipes (connector nuts), and a cranked spanner remove the back nuts which secure the taps to the basin. If the nuts are too tight to unscrew, you can use a pipe cutter to cut through the pipes and then later use flexible pipe connectors to reconnect the taps.

Step 2

Lift out the old taps. If they won’t move even afterremoving the back nuts, check to see if they are being held in place by old putty. If this is the case, use a wooden mallet and tap them lightly from below to loosen them. Make sure the ceramic is clean before installing your new taps.

Step 3

Attach your new taps from underneath the sink. They will usually have washers and mounting nuts supplied with them. Make sure you put them the right way around; the hot tap goes on the left and the cold tap on the right.

Step 4

Check that there is no debris in your new taps and then you can choose to either re-attach the existing pipework to your new taps or use flexible tap connectors, if you have had to cut the pipes. If you need to use tap connectors don’t forget to include the fibre washers. Use wire wool to clean the pipes of any tarnish or paint.

Step 5

Finally turn your water supply back on and check that your new taps are working and there are no leaks. If you notice any leaks check that all the bolts are secured tightly and you can use putty to seal up connections or secure your taps on tightly if there is any movement.